A transition to renewable energy technologies requires new chemistry to
learn from nature. It is our challenge to understand the efficient bioenergetic
processes of nature and to construct human-engineered energy utilization
systems. The research interests in our group focus on the design and assembly
of biomacromolecules for energy conversion, catalysis and signal transduction
in water, the solvent of life. We take synthetic, organic chemical, biochemical
and biophysical approaches to understand the biological molecular recognition
and chemical reactions. Miniature proteins and protein/ nucleic acids assemblies
are explored to construct artificial biomimetic devices mimicking the function
of biological systems, transformation of cellular signals by fluorescent
biosensors, directed self-assembly of peptides and proteins, artificial
receptors and enzymes based on the complex of RNA and protein, and photosynthesis
of chemicals currently made industrially.
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